Reveal the Truth
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: After one of their team is taken from them, Gibbs faces the new challenge of filling the vacant desk. So when Director Shepard brings in the new Mossad liaison at attaches her to Gibbs' team, they have no idea the connection she has to Tim, or how complicated things are about to get.
1. Chapter 1

******Reveal the Truth**

******Ri****fiuto: No****n Miriena**

**Summary: After one of their team is taken from them, Gibbs faces the new challenge of filling the vacant desk. So when Director Shepard brings in the new Mossad liaison at attaches her to Gibbs' team, they have no idea the connection she has to Tim, or how complicated things are about to get. **

**A/N: In this, Kate is still alive. **

Caitlan Todd, former Secret Service, looked up from her sketchpad as Timothy McGee entered the bullpen. "Hey Tim." He set a cup of steaming coffee on her desk, and she gave him a quick smile as he headed to his desk and dropped his gear behind it. Their boss, Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs had yet to arrive, leaving his two remaining agents to themselves. When Tim had first arrived at NCIS, three years earlier as a probationary agent, his desk had been closest to the elevator, while Kate's desk was on the other side of the plasma that sat between the two, and Tony's had been directly across from Tim's and next to Gibbs', who sat across from the former Secret Service Agent.

"Hey Kate."

But now, that desk was empty; thanks to an assassin's bullet.

Even though it had been a week since a bullet had sliced through the Senior Field Agent's head, it felt like it was only yesterday. And despite what they all said, they were still reeling from the unsolved murder. Tim had a few leads that he'd been following, but so far, nothing had panned out. As he took a seat at his desk, he noticed something was off. There was something on Tony's desk.

He got up, just as the elevator opened and someone walked out. As he got closer, he realized it was a cell phone. His curiosity piqued, he picked the phone up, flipping it open.

"That is where I left my phone." Tim's head snapped up at the familiar voice. They sounded an awful lot like someone he'd grown up around. Slowly, he turned as the person entered the bullpen, and he couldn't believe who he was seeing. It... it_ couldn't_ be...

The last time he'd seen her, they'd been kids in Israel, running through the olive groves near her house, playing in the dried up creek bed near the school, chasing stray dogs and playing Hide and Seek in the house with her little sister, Tali, while her older brother Ari watched over them as he worked on his homework. The last time he'd seen her, she'd been covered in dirt, with a scrape on her chin, her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. The last time he'd seen her, they'd been ten-years-old, and saying goodbye at the airport.

And now, here they were fifteen years later, facing each other in the bullpen at NCIS, equal expressions of shock on their faces. Kate looked up at the silence, only to find her partner gaping open-mouthed at the strange woman in the khaki tans and headscarf. "Close your mouth unless you want to start eating flies, McGee." When he didn't reply, her hackels rose, and she stood, dropping her sketchpad on the desk. "McGee? Tim?" As she came out from around her desk, it was to see McGee facing a striking young woman- of either Italian or Mexican descent. "Tim? What's wrong?"

Finally, he turned to Kate, blinking, as if seeing her for the first time. "Sorry? You say something, Kate?" The other woman started, surprised by her partner's response.

"Um... what's going on? Something I should know about?" When neither spoke, she tried again. "Tim, do you know her?" She nodded towards the woman. Tim turned back to the exotic beauty, nodding.

"Yeah, I do. _Shalom, Ziva_." And he leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to her cheek. Gibbs chose this moment to enter the bullpen. He stopped, halfway to his desk.

"Kate, did I just see what I think I saw?" The woman nodded. A moment passed, before Gibbs turned back to see his agent pulling away from the strange woman in tan.

"_Shalom, Tim_." She whispered in response, as Gibbs cleared his throat.

"McGee." Tim quickly turned from his old friend, facing his boss. Kate watched as her mild-mannered Probie seemed to step in front of the woman, protecting her. "Who is this?" As Tim opened his mouth, the woman stepped forward, holding out a hand.

"Ziva David. Mossad. It is nice to meet you, Agent Gibbs." She said, as he took her hand and shook. He glanced from her to McGee and back.

"What are you doing here, Officer David?" He asked, turning his gaze back to McGee.

"She's here to catch Ari Haswari." Everyone turned to Director Jenny Shepard, who'd watched and listened to the entire exchange. "And return him to Israel, where he awaits trial and execution for becoming a mole." Officer David turned on Jenny, dark eyes blazing.

"Ari Haswari is not a terrorist, Jenny! You know as well as I do that he is not! I am his probation officer, I have kept track of him! He is not a mole nor is he a terrorist!"

"And... who's balls get removed if it turns out Ari Haswari is indeed a terrorist, Officer David?" Gibbs asked, going to his desk, leaving his two remaining agents standing in the middle of the bullpen, facing the Mossad officer and Director Shepard. Ziva sighed.

"Mine, I suppose. But he is not. I know-"

"Question, first." Kate interrupted turning to Director Shepard. "_Why_ is she here?" Jenny gave her a small smile.

"Officer David is going to be working with your team, Special Agent Gibbs, because we need this alliance. Ziva volunteered. The Deputy Director and I discussed it, and we agreed that she would be a good fit for your team, Gibbs. So, she is a Mossad liaison, attached to your team. You are to use her to your advantage, Gibbs. Understood?" Shepard asked, before turning on her heel and heading up to her office. Once she was gone, Tim turned back to Ziva. He held out his hand.

"It's good to see you again, Ziva." He said, as she took his hand.

"And you, Tim." She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek, but he pulled away, feeling Gibbs' eyes on them. As he returned to his desk, Gibbs glanced from one to the other. Ziva watched her childhood friend, confusion in her eyes before she turned to face Gibbs, who beckoned her towards the elevator.

Once inside, he flicked the emergency switch, throwing them into darkness. "What is the real reason you're here, Officer David?" She swallowed, taking a deep breath.

"I had to get away from Mossad for a while." She replied, looking up at him. He studied her face, before leaning closer, whispering,

"And what, exactly, is your connection to one of my agents?" Her breath hitched, a reaction Gibbs didn't miss. "What, exactly, Officer David, is your connection to Agent McGee?" A moment passed, as she swallowed, glancing back at the doors before returning her gaze to his.

"We... we are... were childhood friends. Best friends. We grew up in Israel together, until he left when we were ten. I have not seen him since, but I have never forgotten him." Gibbs searched her gaze, finding joy and pain reflected within; feelings she wanted to act on, but was afraid to. A moment passed, before he nodded. "Tim is my best friend, Agent Gibbs. I had him when I had no one else. I have loved him, for as long as I can remember. And a part of me... has been searching for him from the moment he left Israel. And now I have found him, and I will not let him go."

Gibbs nodded once, before leaning closer. "But you dare think of compromising this agency or even a case in any way for him, and I will personally-"

"Kick my butt." She replied, sighing. He rolled his eyes, pulling away as he flicked the switch, sending the elevator back to life.

"I don't kick butt." He muttered, reaching up and smacking her gently on the back of the head. She choked out a gasp, turning to meet his gaze, and he grinned, before the doors opened and he led her back to the bullpen. As she set her things at Tony's former desk, Gibbs spoke up, grabbing her things and dropping them at the desk that was only slightly separated from the others by a slender partition, "Officer David is going to be working with us-"

He turned back, in time to see Ziva go to Tim, who'd gotten up to head to the copier at the back of the floor, behind the other bullpens, and reach up, taking his face in her hands. She stared at him for a moment, searching his face before rising on her toes and pressing a kiss to his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

******Ri****fiuto: No****n Miriena**

******Thanks to frhghz, JonnyP86, None and Lunastar96 for reviewing 1.**

Kate looked up as Gibbs' returned to the bullpen, Officer David in tow. "Officer David is going to-" But she heard nothing else as she instead watched Ziva go to Tim, reaching up to caress his face. Gently, she brushed her thumbs over the apples of his cheeks, staring into his eyes for a moment before rising up and kissing him gently. Kate's mouth dropped in shock and surprise, as the Mossad Officer slowly pulled away, eyes closed. Ziva took a deep breath, her eyes opening and rising to meet his.

"I have missed you, so much." She whispered, searching his eyes. He gave her a soft smile, gently reaching up to brush his thumb over her cheek.

"I've missed you, Ziva." He replied, pressing a kiss to her cheek before pulling away and going to the copier. Ziva watched him, before turning back to Gibbs and Kate, who stood staring at the woman with shock on both their faces. She lifted her chin, waiting for the reprimand, but when none came, she glanced first to Gibbs, then back to McGee, then to Kate. She took a deep breath, and then quietly excused herself. Once she was gone, Kate turned to Gibbs, dark eyes wide.

"Did you... did you see that?" She asked, as Gibbs took a seat at his desk.

"I saw, Kate."

"So what are you going to do?" She went to his desk, watching her boss. He shrugged.

"I've already made it very clear that if she compromises this agency or McGee, that she'll regret the day Shepard attached her to my team."

"That's it?" Gibbs stopped the paperwork he was looking through and looked up at her.

"What do you want me to do, Kate?" She stared at him, as though she hadn't really considered what she wanted him to do. A moment passed, before she whispered softly,

"I don't trust her, Gibbs." He sighed, looking up at her as she watched Tim return to the bullpen, only to have Ziva stop him in the entrance. She reached out, taking his hand and giving him a small, shy smile.

_Like a teenager with her first crush_. Gibbs chuckled silently. "McGee doesn't need you to go all big sister on him, Kate. He can take care of himself." He replied, returning to his paperwork.

But when he glanced back up, Kate was still watching them, eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms over her chest, watching in protective silence as Ziva laced their fingers together, and leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Her eyes shone, and she blushed as Tim looked away, catching Kate's eye. He paled when he realized his coworkers were watching them, and quickly pulled away, giving her a small smile as he took a seat at his desk, across from Tony's. Kate moved away from his desk, going to McGee's as Ziva excused herself to take a phone call, and perched on the edge of his desk. Silent, Gibbs watched the two agents converse softly, before Tim nodded and then get up. He grabbed his jacket, glancing between Gibbs and Ziva, before turning back to their boss.

"Kate and I are gonna go get lunch. Anything you want in particular?" Gibbs shook his head, nodding for the two to go on, and they left, but not before Ziva came back, causing Tim to stop short. "Oh, Ziva, Kate and I are going to go get lunch. Anything you want?" Ziva started, glancing between Tim and Kate and back.

"You are asking me?" She asked, confused. He nodded, chuckling softly.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?" She shrugged, clearly not expecting him to even consider getting lunch for her.

"Wh... where are you going?" Tim glanced at Kate.

"There's a Chinese restaurant not far from here. Pork Lo Mein okay? Or... do you still eat Pork? I can't remember. It's been so long since we've eaten together-" She rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully.

"I am not that strict. Not since I was eighteen." She replied, and a brief flash of sadness filled Tim's eyes, before he nodded and followed Kate to the elevator. Once the doors closed behind them and the elevator began to move, Kate spoke.

"So... you seem to know the new Mossad Liaison pretty well, Tim." He glanced at her, shrugging his shoulders.

"We're old friends." He replied as they exited the elevator and headed to his car. As she slid into the passenger seat, Kate tried again.

"How do you know each other?" He didn't reply for several minutes as they pulled out of the garage and headed into downtown. Once they'd parked and were making their way towards the restaurant, she asked, "How old? High school? Childhood? Before childhood?" Tim raised an eyebrow, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "Come on, Tim, you can tell me. I'm not Tony." She said, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop. He sighed, taking a deep breath.

"Fine. Ziva and I..." She waited, eyebrows raised. "We're old friends. From childhood."

"How do you know each other?" He licked his lips.

"Israel." At her confused look, he clarified, "I lived in Israel for a time." She nodded.

"Oh. So... your family moved there when you were a kid?" Kate asked, as they started walking again. Once they reached the restaurant, Tim held the door open and let her enter first.

"Nope. I was born there." She stopped, turning back to him.

"You... you were what?" He nodded, moving past her and heading to the hostess. Kate had called in the order on the drive over, and now, all they had to do was pay and wait for it. Once they'd paid, Tim turned back to her.

"I was born in Israel; both my sister and I were. My father was the American Ambassador to Israel, and when he and my mom moved over there, they were already pregnant with me. I was born in Tel Aviv. Lived there until I was ten, when we moved back to the States."

She opened her mouth to speak, but at that point, their food had arrived, and Tim handed her one of the packages. Then, without another word to Kate about his friendship with Ziva, he left the restaurant, forcing a stunned Kate to follow, the shock of this new revelation in regards to her partner still ringing in her ears.


	3. Chapter 3

******Ri****fiuto: No****n Miriena**

******Thanks to puppypants for reviewing 1 and Sazzita and JonnyP86 for reviewing 2.**

By the time they returned to the bullpen, Tim had completely avoided the conversation, refusing to mention anymore or even acknowledge that he had any connection to Ziva. "But Tim, I'm just curious-"

"_Look, Kate_, I get that you're curious and all, but that doesn't mean that I am going to tell you every little detail of my life before NCIS. Some things are meant to be private, that means you leave them alone, okay? So please, just drop it." She nodded, watching as he headed into the bullpen and instantly handing out what the others had ordered. As Tim took a seat at his desk, Ziva wandered over to his, perching on the edge.

_"Toda."_

_"Al lo davar."_ He replied softly, as the four ate in silence. Eventually, Ziva said,

"I have thought about you, Tim. So much."

"I've thought about you too." He glanced towards his coworkers, before turning back to his childhood friend, and then leaned close, whispering softly, "Meet me in the hallway in ten minutes." And then, without a word, he got up, heading for the bathrooms.

Ziva glanced at Kate and Gibbs, catching Kate's narrowed eyes still posture as she watched her, but the Israeli didn't think anything of it. She set her carton down and got up, heading back to the bathrooms, not five minutes after Tim. Once she was back near the bathrooms, she glanced around quickly, before pushing the door to the men's bathroom open and slipping inside. Silent, she pressed herself against the door, watching as Tim went to the sink and washed his hands.

Ziva was used to slipping into the men's bathroom; she'd been doing it since she was a child. The majority of her childhood friends were boys, with the exception of Deena, who had been too much of a girly girl. Ziva loved her, but she loved Tim more. Tim hadn't been afraid to go on adventures when they were children; he'd often led their adventures, as they'd played pirates or cowboys and Indians, or Bonnie and Clyde. At school, she had often followed the boys into the bathroom, waiting until they came out to wash their hands. She never followed Tim into the bathroom at school, because Tim and his sister Sarah were often taught at home, by a tutor.

"Why are you here, Ziva?" She looked up, memories fading into the past, unaware that he'd spoken.

"Sorry?"

"Why are you here?" She shrugged, pushing herself away from the door and going to him.

"You said we needed to talk-" Tim grabbed a paper towel, and quickly dried his hands.

"That's not what I meant." He said, turning to her as he tossed the towel in the trash. "Is it really so important that you had to come to America?" Her brow furrowed, and she reached out, taking his hands.

"I... I thought you were happy to see me." She whispered, brushing her thumbs over the backs of his hands. He sighed, looking down at their hands.

"I am. I just... you came at a really bad time." He replied, tears choking his voice. Tears that he'd held back, that he hadn't shed for his dead partner. Though Tony had been a pain in the ass, he had still been Tim's partner, and Tim still felt horrible for his death. Tony had been the annoying older brother he had never had, but had desperately wanted. Sure, when he'd spent his childhood in Israel, Ari had looked out for both him and Sarah, but Ari hadn't teased or played pranks on them. Not like Tony had. Ari had been very protective of his sisters and the Ambassador's children. But he had never been the typical older brother type.

Tony had been that type, and Tim had looked up to him. And now he was gone.

Ziva swallowed, taking a deep breath. "I am sorry, you lost your partner, but..." She stopped, searching his eyes. A moment passed, as she reached up, gently brushing the tears off his cheeks, before rising up and pressing another kiss his to his lips. Against his better judgment, against everything he'd been taught while working for Gibbs, Tim slowly lay his hands on Ziva's hips, pulling her closer. He deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her waist, until she was flush against him.

"I am not going to replace him, Tim. I came to find Ari and take him back to Israel. And I came... to find you..." She whispered, pulling away to look up into those green eyes she'd loved from the moment they met as children. He kissed her lightly, before pulling away. Then, without looking back, he left the bathroom, heading back to the bullpen. Taking a deep breath, she followed, rushing to catch up with him. When she got close enough, she grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Tim, we need to talk."

He pulled away. "Not right now. We have a killer to catch." But she grabbed his hand, tugging him back to her. Kate and Gibbs looked up at the hushed voices, watching, silently.

"That is what I need to talk to you about. Ari. That 'killer,' as you call him, is my brother. My older brother. Remember?" He sighed, meeting her eyes.

"Ziva, he killed Tony. But he targeted me first." She let the words sink in first, before shaking her head.

"No. Not Ari. Ari could never... he could never target you... because you are my best friend... he looked out for both of us when we were kids..." She reached up, taking his face in her hands. "You are lying. Ari could never attempt to kill you, he knows how important you are to me... he... he would never..." But as she looked in Tim's eyes, she saw the pain reflected in his.

"But he did. And when he didn't succeed in killing me, he killed Tony instead." Tim then yanked away, going to his desk and sitting down. Kate narrowed her eyes at Ziva, but stayed where she was. Ziva looked around, before taking a deep breath and going to the desk Gibbs had designated at hers, and slowly, sank into the chair, Tim's words and the haunted look in his eyes at the forefront of her mind.


	4. Chapter 4

******Ri****fiuto: No****n Miriena**

******Thanks to Reader for reviewing 1, 2 and 3; for reviewing 2 and puppypants and Nat84 for reviewing 3.**

Two hours later, Ziva looked up, to see Tim having disappeared. Kate was still working diligently at her desk, and after a moment, Ziva got up, going to the older woman. The brunette glanced up as Ziva stopped in front of her, and she waited. Ziva licked her lips, before saying,

"Um... where is... Tim?"

Kate raised an eyebrow, and thought a moment. Something told her to lie to the officer; she didn't fully trust her, no matter her ties to McGee. Tim was the baby brother she'd always wanted, and she was determined to protect him at all costs, even if it was from the woman he'd played Hide and Seek with while growing up in Israel. She refused to let Ziva near Tim until she was _certain_ the Israeli could be trusted.

And right now, there wasn't an ounce of trust between the two women.

A moment passed, before she narrowed her eyes, asking,

"Why?"

"Because I want to talk to him."

"But you've already talked to him." Kate countered. "Don't you think you've talked to him and... oh, I don't know, shoved your tongue down his throat enough for one day?"

"You do not like me." Ziva whispered, a flash of insecurity clouding her dark eyes. Kate started, surprised the woman had picked that up so quickly.

"Really? What was your first clue?" She said, returning to her work. Ziva sighed, not removing herself from Kate's desk.

"What exactly do you not like about me? Is it because I am Israeli? Or because Special Agent Gibbs has designated and targeted my brother as the one who killed your partner? Or because I have a history with Tim that you do not? Or," Ziva started, leaning down to meet Kate's eyes. "Is it because I am also a woman and you feel_ threatened_?" She whispered softly, as Kate stopped what she was doing and locked Ziva's gaze with hers.

"I am not threatened, Officer David. I am concerned. I am concerned that you will hurt Tim. And he does not need to be hurt. He's sensitive, fragile. He needs to be protected-"

Ziva snorted, pulling away from Kate's desk. She laughed, shaking her head, her dark curls bouncing around her head; she'd removed her head wrap earlier, not long after arriving and taking a seat at Tony's desk to await Gibbs' arrival. "Oh, Agent Todd, you do not know Tim like I do." She said, hands on her hips, a wiry smile on her face. Something like pride glinted in her dark eyes, and Kate's hackles rose higher.

"What does that mean?" She asked, suspicion filling her blood. Ziva returned to the desk, leaning over it, until their noses were inches apart, and she whispered,

"It means, that the Tim you know and the Tim I know are two entirely different versions of the same person. But one thing is for certain. Tim has never been sensitive, he has never been fragile. He does not need to be protected; he does the protecting. He is gentle and loving and far more reckless than you give him credit for. Believe me, I know." She pulled away, turning to look around the bullpen, before heading towards the stairs, when Kate's voice stopped her.

"Did you know that Tim was born in Israel?" She stopped, turning back to the brunette. She studied the former Secret Service agent, her mind going back to the dossiers she'd been forced to study and memorize. Yes, the good Catholic girl persona she wore, but the good Catholic girl, Ziva highly doubted. Kate was no more a good Catholic girl than Ziva was a good Jewish daughter.

"Of course I knew. We were born two months and a day apart. He on September thirteenth, and I on November twelfth, nineteen-eighty. Our mothers became good friends, and we were raised together."

"I didn't know that Tim was born in Israel." Kate replied softly. Ziva sniffed derisively, watching the other woman. "I barely know anything about him-"

"Did you ever consider that maybe he does not reveal his past for a reason?" And then, without a word, the Israeli beauty turned and headed towards the forensics lab, in search of Tim. Kate sighed, watching her go before getting up and following. If Ziva thought the former Secret Service Agent had a problem with her, then the Israeli would be in for a shock when she met Abby, NCIS's resident forensic. Even though she didn't want to be anywhere near the lab when the other woman saw how clingy and possessive Abby was of Tim, Kate knew that if she were there, she could at least lessen the bloodshed somewhat.

But by the time she reached the lab, things had gone from surprise to shockingly quiet- despite the blaring music playing. Ziva stood in the lab, dark eyes wide in angry horror as she watched the resident Goth slid an arm around Tim's shoulders and press a kiss to his cheek, as though she were staking her claim on him. Kate came up behind Ziva, clearing her throat softly. The other woman turned, meeting her gaze. "Who is this?" She asked, nodding toward Abby, who was being her usual Chatty Cathy self. Kate sighed.

"This is Abby Scuito, our forensic scientist." Kate said, and Ziva turned back, in time to see Abby press another kiss to Tim- this time, at the corner of his mouth. Eyes narrowing dangerously, Ziva strode over to the pair, watching Tim's fingers fly over the keyboard, before glancing from him to the Goth and back.

"Um... hi. Who are you?" Despite wanting desperately to rip the woman limb from limb, Ziva gave her a tight smile instead.

"Officer David. Israeli Mossad." The Goth gave her a quick once-over, giving her a big smile, before she realized who she was.

"You... you're here for the_ terrorist_ that killed Tony!" She spat 'terrorist' at Ziva, as though the young officer had been the one to put a bullet through Tony's skull. Ziva's eyes narrowed.

"I can tell you, that Ari Haswari is _not_ a terrorist!" She then turned to Tim, meeting his green gaze. "Do you not believe me, Tim?" Abby started at Ziva's use of McGee's first name. Tim glanced from Abby back to Ziva. Obviously, she hadn't fully accepted what he'd told her in the bathroom. She still saw him as the twelve-year-old boy who watched over them as they played Hide and Seek in the house or ran through the olive groves, chasing stray dogs or playing Tag.

"Ziva, we've talked about this-" But before he could continue, she went to him, rising up and kissing him, taking his lips with hers, sending a clear message to Abby that she had no claim on him. When she pulled away, she looked into his eyes, whispering,

"How can you believe that he is? You know him, Tim. Ari would _not_ do this-"

_"Gibbs!"_ The pair turned as Abby rushed to Gibbs, grabbing his arm, black pigtails swinging. "Did you know that Timmy knows Officer _Da_vid?" Their silver-haired leader turned to her, before glancing back at Tim and Ziva.

"Actually, it's pronounced Dah-_veed_." The woman who'd previously pressed her lips to Tim's lips replied. "Or you can just call me Ziva." Gibbs nodded, catching the glance she and Tim shared, before turning back to Abby and Kate calmly, saying,

"Yeah, Abs, I did."


	5. Chapter 5

******A/N: A bit more of Tim/Ziva's past together will be brought up in this chapter, including how they lost contact. **

******Thanks to jar, puppypants, Reader and JonnyP86 for reviewing 4.**

Abby pulled away from Gibbs so fast, she could have been shot from a rocket. She turned wide, surprised eyes on him. "You _know? Gibbs?_ How could you know?" He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly saying,

_You don't need to know how I know._

Abby's head snapped back and forth between Ziva and Tim so fast, she gave herself whiplash. "But... but how can you know how they know each other and not tell Kate and I? How do they know each other? They should have told us-"

"Maybe it's because it is their business, Abby, and not ours." Everyone turned as Director Shepard stepped into the room. She had just been down to see Ducky in autopsy, and on her way back up to her office, had followed the sound of raised voices, finding Gibbs and the remaining members of his team in Abby's lab. Tim stood by the exotic Israeli, a hand protectively on her back. Abby stood with Gibbs, and Kate stood by the door, a look on her face clearly stating that she didn't know exactly where she fit into this strange puzzle her coworker and the control officer had placed in front of her. Director Shepard gave Ziva a small smile, and the Israeli returned it, looking up at Tim.

"Do you know why Ari left his brass behind?" The others watched as Gibbs moved away from Abby and went to her evidence table, where several jars holding brass bullet fragments sat, lined up in a row. He knelt down, resting his arms on the table as he stared at them, eyes going from one to another. Ziva let out a breath, shaking her head as she rolled her eyes. Kate narrowed her eyes, something told her Ziva knew more than she would say.

"You are a broken tape, Gibbs."

"Record, broken _record_, Ziva." Tim replied, causing her to look back at him, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head, indicating he would explain American idioms to her later. She nodded, turning back to Gibbs.

"Sniper's brass is like signing his signature. That's why a sniper always polices his brass. Lapua. Point three-oh-eight casing. Boat-tail. Moly-coated full metal jacket bullet."

"That is what you shot as a Marine sniper." Ziva replied automatically, remembering the dossier she'd read studied on the former Marine. Tim pulled away from her, confusion filling his green eyes. "At Mossad, we use Sierra six-point-five hollow points." She looked back at him, asking with her eyes why he was so shocked, when Gibbs' voice interrupted the silent conversation.

"How do you know what I shot, Ms David?" Gibbs asked, standing and turning his blue eyes to the couple. Ziva looked from face to face, from Kate and Tim's surprise to Gibbs' death glare and Abby's suspicious gaze. She took a deep breath, staying quiet, even as Gibbs moved to her. But Jen stepped in front of Ziva, hands behind her back.

"She profiled you for Ari." Jen answered. "All of you."

"All of us?" Tim whispered softly, as Ziva turned to him. She nodded, giving him sad smile. She spoke softly, to Tim and only Tim, trying to get him to understand why she'd done what she had. She knew the others were listening, but the only one who's opinion mattered was Tim's.

"Ari's missions involved NCIS. As his controller, _of course_, I did dossiers on everyone he might interact with."

"It's S.O.P. at Komemiute." Jenny said. Gibbs looked at her, eyes narrowed as he looked between Ziva and Tim.

"Director, Abs, Kate. Give me a minute alone with Ms. David." With a quick kiss to her forehead, Tim followed the others. "You stay, McGee!" Tim stopped and sighed, shutting the door. He turned back to his childhood friend and his boss. Ziva tossed her bag on the floor, locking eyes with Tim. Gibbs circled first about Tim and then around Ziva, before leaning close to her. "You found out about my first wife and daughter." Ziva swallowed, but didn't meet his gaze. She nodded softly.

"Yes. I am sorry." She whispered, glancing at Tim. He had no idea Gibbs had, at one time, had a child. The man had never talked about it, but then again, Gibbs was more mystery than man. "But I still don't believe Ari is the sniper."

"What is the connection between the two of you?" He asked, turning from the subject of Ari to the pair before him. Again, he caught the glances passed between the pair; a whole conversation in a matter of a few short seconds.

"I told you everything about our connection in the elevator, Agent Gibbs. Why do you need to-"

"Because, Ms David. I don't trust you." He whispered, glancing at Tim. "I need to know your history with McGee. And if you won't tell me, he will." Without another word, he headed to over to Tim, who lifted his chin, narrowing his eyes.

"You won't get anything from me, Gibbs. If Ziva told you anything, it was what you needed to know. The rest of it is in the past."

"I know. But I also know that you grew up with Ari- if only for a brief time. I need to know what you remember of him."

"Gibbs-" He turned back to Ziva, sending her a glare. Tim sighed, shrugging.

"Honestly, I don't remember that much. He watched over us as we worked played in the house or outside in the olive groves. He was always protecting us and looking out for us. When they called my dad back to the States, we were forced to go with him, and I had to tell Ziva goodbye. My dad didn't let me contact her in any way after that."

Gibbs studied his youngest agent; Tim's green eyes held hurt, and he seemed to shrink in on himself. His gaze flicked briefly to Ziva before moving to the floor. "Why did the two of you lose contact?" Gibbs turned to Ziva, who kept her mouth shut. Eventually, Tim said,

"Our parents decided, that it was better if we never spoke again. I don't know about Ziva, but I know that at our house, I was never allowed to mention Ziva, Israel or the Deputy Director of Mossad. Not around my parents, anyway."

"Nor was I allowed to talk about the Ambassador and his kids. And every time I tried writing or calling, my father would tear up the letters or delete the e-mails or remove the phone." Gibbs looked from his agent to the Mossad officer and back. After several minutes, he finally asked,

"What the hell happened between you two that your parents forced you to break contact?"


	6. Chapter 6

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Ziva glanced at Tim, tears in her dark eyes. A moment passed, before Tim went to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. He pressed a soft kiss to her head, as she broke down, wrapping her arms tight around him. For a brief moment, Gibbs saw the woman beneath the hardened Mossad Officer. And then, in a flash, she was gone. Sighing, Gibbs pulled up a chair, motioning for Ziva to sit. She did so, as Gibbs pushed a chair towards Tim and then took a seat himself. Once the three were seated together, he asked again, gentler this time,

"What happened?" Tim started to say something, before Ziva reached over, laying a hand on his knee.

"No, Tim. He... he needs to know the truth. He needs to understand why we are the way we are." Tim turned to her.

"Are you sure? We agreed, when we were ten that we would never talk about this- with anyone. We promised each other, Ziva. And... Ari... Ari made us promise not to talk about it. Remember? We promised Ari..." She reached up, caressing his cheek, as tears slid down her own.

"But he needs to know, Tim." Gibbs watched them in silence, letting them build up the courage to talk. After a moment, Tim turned back to Gibbs.

"My dad was called back to the States the month before I turned eleven. But in July..." He swallowed, glancing at Ziva. She nodded, taking his hand. "We had been spending the day in Tel Aviv, and... Ziva and I... we were playing in a... a park. Ari was watching over us, like he'd promised our parents. He was twelve. We were both ten, two months and a day apart." He squeezed Ziva's hand, drawing on her strength. "At one point, he told us he was going to go get ice cream for the three of us, and made us promise we'd stay there. We promised, and he went to a nearby ice cream shop." Tim took another breath, glancing at Ziva.

"Go on, Tim." She whispered, as he laced their fingers.

"People left... strange things in the park. It wasn't a very nice area, but we had fun whenever we were there. And... that day, instead of staying put like we promised, Ziva and I went exploring, and... we stumbled upon a bunch of boys- about Ari's age, maybe a little older, gathered around an abandoned weapons carrier. We hid and watched as a boy and girl climbed out and readjusted their clothes, as the other kids cheered and made jokes. When we tried to flee back to where Ari was expecting us, they caught us." He swallowed, glancing at Ziva. "Separated us, tried to hurt Ziva."

"Tim tried attacking them, and for some reason, they... they decided..." She swallowed, her mind going back to that day.

_"Since you will not let us have any fun, why don't you two have a little fun instead?" She was lifted off her feet by the boy who appeared to be the leader, and shoved into the weapons carrier. Tim was shoved in after her, struggling and fighting._

Ziva glanced at Tim, reaching up to brush the tears away. "Our... first time was in a... weapons carrier." He choked out, refusing to meet Gibbs's eye. "We begged for them to let us go, even telling them who our parents were, but they wouldn't let us out until we'd..." Gibbs sighed, shaking his head.

"When we finished, the kids reached in and... pulled us both out of the carrier and proceeded to beat us both-" Ziva swallowed thickly, trying to meet Tim's eye.

"That was when Ari showed up." Tim added, not looking at her. Gibbs started, surprised that Tim knew who Ari was, that he had a connection with Tony's killer. "I don't... really remember what happened next, but... all I really remember is Ari taking both Ziva and I home, and her parents freaking out. Her dad went ballistic. Blamed me. Called my dad and demanded he come pick up his 'bastard son.' It didn't get any better when my parents arrived."

"They pointed fingers; my father blamed Tim; Tim's father blamed me. Tim and I... Ari hid us in his room, during the argument. He protected us."

"My dad could get violent when he lost his temper. Ari had seen him strike me once, and so he... he made it his mission to protect both Ziva and I." Tim swallowed, looking down at his hands. "When we left that first week in August, Ari convinced Rivka to go with us to the airport."

"He snuck me into the car, telling my father we were going grocery shopping, and instead, we drove to the airport, to tell them goodbye. I just remember hugging Tim and telling him I'd miss him. And him saying that he would try to write." Ziva pressed her lips together. "We never saw each other again. But I thought about him every day."

"And there wasn't a day that I didn't think of Ziva." Tim turned back to Gibbs. "Ari protected us, Gibbs. He wasn't who he is now. He had a heart, he looked out for both of us."

Gibbs sighed, getting up and going to Ziva. "I'm expecting you to back me up when I need it. Are we clear, Officer David?" She looked into his ice blue eyes, nodding. Without another word, he was gone. Once he left, Kate slipped into the lab; she'd stood at the door, holding it slightly open, listening to the entire story, and a part of her couldn't believe it.

That Tim and Ziva had been jumped by a bunch of older kids when they were just children themselves? That their parents had pointed blame and forbidden them from seeing each other-

"Ari would not do this... how can he listen and... and not believe us? Not believe that Ari..."

"Ziva." Tim tilted her chin up to look in her eyes. "He isn't the Ari we know. Not anymore. He's a terrorist. A monster. He killed Tony. And he tried to me. And Abby." She shook her head, burying her face in his chest. Tim turned, at the sound of Kate's footsteps on the tiled floor, and met her eyes. Kate stopped; she'd never seen such pain in his green eyes before.


	7. Chapter 7

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

******Thanks to Sazzita for reviewing 1 and 6; JonnyP86 and Reader for reviewing 5 and 6; and puppypants for reviewing 6. **

Though their story swirled in circles through her head, Kate still couldn't believe it. That... that the two had been beaten by a gang of older kids, that they'd been forced into the weapons carrier and...

She shuddered, horror running up and down her spine. Taking a deep breath, she whispered,

"Um, Tim?" A moment passed, before Ziva turned, gaze landing on Kate. Suddenly, Kate found herself the subject of two pairs of eyes. She struggled to think of something to say, but Tim beat her to it.

"What are you still doing here, Kate?" He sounded dejected, hurt, like a little boy who'd just been told that Santa wasn't real. "Gibbs asked you to-"

"I'm sorry, for what those kids did, to both of you. I can't imagine that happening to two children, especially the two of you at such young ages. I... I don't see how the two of you managed to... it's basically rape..." But Ziva grabbed her things and pushed past her, turning back to Tim in the doorway.

"I will see you at your place?" He nodded, watching as she left. Once she was gone, Tim turned back to Kate.

"Are you happy? Now that you know the secret? Now that you can go spread it throughout the office-"

"I wouldn't do that, Tim, you know that." Kate replied, as Tim turned and leaned on the table. "I'm not like-" She stopped, and they both fell into silence. A moment passed, before Tim turned around, and Kate launched herself into his arms. She buried her face on his shoulder, whispering, "I miss him, Tim." He wrapped his arms tight around her, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"So am I, Kate."

Neither one had admitted or shown signs that they'd been affected by Tony's death. But everyone could see it. The other teams could see that Gibbs and the remaining members of his team were walking through a fog without their partner, without the Senior Field Agent, known for making jokes and playing pranks, who could often be annoying, but in the end, always had his partners' sixes. The closest anyone had come, had been Abby, when she'd burst into tears after Gibbs, Kate and Tim returned to the bullpen; Kate still covered in blood and brain matter.

"It doesn't feel like NCIS without him." She choked out, tightening her grip on Tim's shoulders. He sniffled, squeezing her waist, as fresh tears slipped down his cheeks. "It doesn't feel like _Gibbs' team_ without him."

"I-"

"Tim?" The pair broke apart, turning to see Ziva back in the doorway, watching them. "Gibbs is waiting for us." Both had tears in their eyes, and after a moment, Tim pulled away from Kate, nodding, as he went to the Israeli. Gently, he took Ziva's hand, as she reached up and brushed the tears away. With one last look at Kate, he left, following Ziva back upstairs. Moments passed, before Kate rushed after them, curious as to why Gibbs was waiting for Tim and Ziva. But when she reached the bullpen, she found herself alone.

Taking a deep breath, she went to her desk, taking a seat and checking her e-mail, though she couldn't quite concentrate. Her mind kept going back to what she'd heard down in Abby's lab. She shouldn't have stayed, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she'd listened quietly as Tim and Ziva had talked. "They were children, and Ari was their protector."

_"You don't seriously believe that story, do you?"_ Kate looked up; she started, falling back in her chair at the sight of Tony, sitting at his desk, calm as could be, as if he were ready and waiting for Gibbs to walk in and tell them to gear up._ "That they were beaten by a gang of kids and forced to have sex in a weapons carrier?"_

"Tim wouldn't lie about something like that. Tim doesn't know how to lie, Tony." He got up, going around his desk and over to hers.

_"I know Probie wouldn't lie, but I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about her. You don't seriously believe her, do you? I thought you were smarter than that, Kate."_ She took a deep breath, looking up as he leaned down, into the light of her desk lamp. It was then that she saw the hole in the middle of his forehead, where Ari's bullet had entered his skull. She stared at the hole, before quickly lowering her gaze.

"She knows Tim, Tony. And Tim... he was... he was born in Israel. His father was the American Ambassador... he was born in Israel, and he grew up with Ziva. They were best friends. They were born... two months and a day apart from each other. Tony, they know each other, and obviously, they have feelings for each other. Feelings that... that have been growing and simmering for the last... decade or so. And... and there is more than they're telling, but... but yes, Tony, I believe them. _Both_ of them."

He snorted, rolling his eyes. _"Well, if I were you, Kate, I'd watch my back. Because you never know when they'll turn."_

"Tim wouldn't turn on us. Not us, not NCIS, not his country. He loves being an Agent."

_"But he loves her more, right? You said it yourself. There are feelings brewing beneath the surface. He may be loyal to Gibbs and NCIS now, but at the drop of a hat, what would you bet that he turns and stabs everyone he loves in the back? For her."_

Kate shook her head. "Not Tim. Tony, you know Tim. He wouldn't do that to us."

Slowly, Tony moved around her desk, until he had her blocked in. _"Not unless she asked him to."_

When she looked up next, Tony was gone.


	8. Chapter 8

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

While Kate had entered the bullpen, the elevator carried Tim, Ziva and Gibbs down to the parking garage in silence. But when they reached the ground, and headed to their respective cars, Gibbs stopped both, turning back to them. "You understand, that I'm expecting you to have my back, Ms. David?" Ziva nodded.

"And Tim shall have mine." She whispered, glancing back at her childhood friend. Gibbs glanced from one to the other, before he finally nodded in resignation. He wasn't happy about involving Tim, but Ziva had insisted. Insisted that he was just as skilled with a gun as she was, and that if things got harried, he would be good to have in a fight. So Gibbs had relented, grudgingly.

He nodded, before going to his car. By the time Tim pulled up in front of Gibbs' house, he and Ziva had talked the fact that Kate had been eavesdropping to death. Silent, they headed up the walk and into the house, checking the downstairs quickly, before Tim turned to the door leading to the basement. He gently lay a hand on Ziva's back, guiding her towards the basement door and slowly, he pulled it open, allowing her to hide behind the wall while he hid behind the slightly open door. They could hear two voices- Gibbs', and one Tim hadn't heard in years- Ari's.

_"Why did you?"_

_"To cause you pain."_ Came Ari's smooth reply. The pair shared a glance, before returning to the door, and cocking his gun. Ziva sniffled softly, tears racing down her cheeks.

_"Do I really piss you off that much?"_

_"Not you. My father."_ Tim glanced at Ziva, who swallowed. Both remembered Mr. David, how he'd gone ballistic after discovering what had happened in the park, how he blamed Tim for defiling his daughter, when it was that gang of older kids who'd forced them into the carrier, and wouldn't let them out until they'd done what they were told. But when Tim had left with his parents, only Ziva had been witness to the lashing Ari received for not watching her and Tim. For letting them run off and get caught and not going to their defense fast enough, even though he hadn't even realized they'd been gone._ "You have the misfortune of reminding me of the bastard."_

_"He didn't marry your mother."_ Gibbs replied. Tim reached over, squeezing Ziva's hand.

_"That is what makes me a bastard, not him. From the moment of my birth, he groomed me to be one thing: his mole in Hamas. Sent me to Edinburgh to become a doctor, so I could work in the Gaza camps alongside my mother. When he had her killed, I had no trouble-"_ Ziva shook her head, covering her ears. She didn't want to hear this, but she had no choice. She had to know of the monster their father had created.

_"I wish I could see his face, when he realizes he created not a mole, but a monster. Eager to strike at the heart of Mossad and Israel."_ They could hear footsteps, _heard Gibbs back up and sit down against the banister._

_"You never did give me enough credit in our little game. I knew it was a trap before you asked Ziva to cover for you, before she asked Tim to cover her. You'd never trust Ziva, no matter her connection to Tim. Or Tim's connection to me."_

_"What connection?"_ Gibbs asked, playing dumb.

_"I know that they told you what went on when they were children. How they wandered off, got caught by a gang of kids. That they were forced to have sex in that weapons carrier. And that they were forbidden to have contact with each other."_ Ari seemed to stop, think, and Ziva reached over, grabbing tight to Tim's hand._ "But what you do not know is that after Tim's father took him home, my father beat me to within an inch of my life. He blamed me, for letting them get away in the park. He blamed me for letting that 'American bastard' defile his daughter, even when he didn't truly care about Ziva at all."_

_"You were their protector."_

_"I have always been their protector- first Ziva, and then Tim's. It is why I didn't kill him during that shootout on the roof. Because he has always been a part of Ziva's life. He has always loved her, and she him. I could not take him away from her. So I targeted the console instead, as a way to warn him."_

_"You were protecting him." _Ari nodded, chuckling softly.

_"I always have, and I always will. He is good for Ziva, he will never hurt her, like Antony would have, would like my father did. He needed to stay alive for her. But for him to stay alive, someone else on your team had to die."_

_"So you killed Tony. Protect Tim and destroy Tony."_ Silence reigned, before they heard,_ "I've killed enough men in my life, Ari, it's gonna be just as sweet watching you die."_

Ziva took that as her cue to get ready. Tears in her eyes, she raised her gun, watching as her brother lifted Gibbs' rifle and aimed it.

_"Sorry to spoil your-"_

A shot rang out, and Gibbs watched as Ari's body dropped to the floor, a bullet hole identical to the one in Tony's forehead moving through his skull. Slowly, Gibbs turned to see Ziva step onto the landing, following shortly by Tim, who'd holstered his gun. Silently, the pair moved down the stairs, their tennis shoes making soft padding noises on the wood. When the two joined Gibbs, who'd gotten up and picked up his shotgun, he turned to them, asking,

"His father is the Deputy Director in Mossad?" Ziva nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Yes."

"Not David." Gibbs replied. It was Tim who answered this time, his voice soft.

"Yes. He's-"

"My half-brother." Ziva finished, as Tim reached out, taking her hand and lacing their fingers. Gibbs glanced from Ari's body to Ziva and Tim, before moving past them. But he reached out, and lightly grabbed the pair's joined hands, squeezing both lightly before leaving. As he headed up the stairs, he turned back, in time to see Ziva move towards a nearby stool and take a seat, soft Hebrew prayers floating from her lips. Tim stood behind her, hands on her shoulders, giving her his strength. He sighed, Ari's words entering his head as he left the basement and headed into the living room.

"_I always have, and I always will. He is good for Ziva, he will never hurt her. He needed to stay alive for her. But for him to stay alive, someone else on your team had to die."_


	9. Chapter 9

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

******Thanks to notquitearockgod and puppypants for reviewing 7; and Reader, Sazzita, and JonnyP86 for reviewing 7 and 8. **

_"Toda."_

_"Al lo davar."_ He whispered, joining her on the sofa in his living room. After they'd left Gibbs' place, Tim had brought her back to his apartment, where he promptly pushed her towards the sofa and fixed a pot of tea. Both had been in a state of shock, but over time, they'd slowly come out of it, and the realization that the boy who'd looked out for them in Israel was gone, turned into a cold-blooded killer, now dead at his half-sister's own hand.

"My father has done nothing but create monsters." Ziva whispered. Tim pressed a kiss to her head, pulling her closer. She snuggled into his arms, relishing in the feel of being back in his embrace.

"You aren't a monster, Ziva. You're a woman, who was shaped by the only male role model she had." Ziva shook her head, pulling away and looking up at him.

"That is where you are wrong, Tim." She whispered, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek. "Remember my little sister, Tali?" He nodded. "I lost her, in a Hamas suicide bombing. She was sixteen and the best of us." Tim swallowed hard; he remembered Tali as a little girl with curled pigtails and blue overalls, racing to catch up with him and Ziva when they went on adventures. "Tali had compassion."

"I'm so sorry, Ziva." She swallowed, a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks. Gently, Tim reached up and brushed the tears away.

"After Tali's death I was like Gibbs. All I wanted was revenge."

"Is that why you joined Mossad, Zi?" She shook her head, reaching up and grabbing his hand, holding it to her cheek before she turned and pressed a kiss to his palm.

"I was Mossad _long_ before Tali's death, Tim. Old-"

"Family tradition?"

"Israeli sense of duty." He shook his head, not fully believing it. But Ziva had never lied to him, and he'd never lied to her, so there was no reason for him to start doubting his old childhood friend now. Instead, he tried to play it light.

"Come on, Zi. Who recruited you? Father? Uncle? Brother? _Boyfriend_?" He asked, placing emphasis on the last word, trying not to let her know how jealous the thought made him. Ziva raised an eyebrow and leaned close.

"Aunt. Sister. _Lesbian lover_." She teased back softly, noticing how his eyes darted from her gaze to her lips and back. Tim chuckled.

"You're good, Zi. Almost got me off the question._ Almost_." He whispered, leaning closer. She gave him a fleeting smile, whispering,

"I volunteered, Tim." He searched her gaze for a moment, before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"No way." She nodded, meeting his gaze.

"_Ken_. I volunteered to be in Mossad. I would have ended up in Mossad eventually," She shrugged. "This way, I ended up in it faster. And after Tali died, it seemed like the best choice." She curled into his arms, laying her head on his chest. They sat in silence for several minutes, before Ziva yawned. Glancing down at her, Tim stood, and scooped her up, carrying her back to his bedroom. "Tim!" But he silenced her with a kiss.

Once he reached his bedroom, he helped her strip down to her underwear, watching as she grabbed a button-down from his drawer and pulled it on. The blue top was big on her, and hung down over her thighs, exposing those beautiful legs of hers. He tucked her under the blankets, brushed her curls off her face, and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, before turning off the light and going back into the living room. Silently, he fixed a new cup of tea and settled at his laptop, but the novel he'd been working on refused to flow tonight. He was too distracted.

_"How can you put that woman into your bed?"_ Tim looked up, but he wasn't at all surprised to find Tony standing across from him, the hole in his forehead clearly visible. Tim sighed.

"Ziva's an old friend. We were both born in Israel. We both grew up in Israel; she was my best friend."

_"Her brother murdered me! He tried to kill Gibbs!"_

"And she killed her brother! The Ari that Ziva killed isn't the Ari that Ziva and I knew, Tony! The Ari that died in Gibbs' basement was a monster that her father turned him into!" He sighed, taking a deep breath and climbing to his feet, starting towards the hallway that led to the bedroom. "Look, I-"

_"You going to go sleep with the enemy, Probie?"_ Tim sighed, the ghost of his former partner blocking his path. He glanced around Tony and down the darkened hall, where Ziva was sound asleep in his room. All he wanted to do was curl up in bed and join her in the blissful darkness of sleep.

"I'm not going to sleep with Ziva, Tony-"

_"No you're going to turn traitor instead and join her in her profession-"_

"I would never turn traitor, Tony, you know that! But I can't just abandon her! Ziva needs me right now! We've always turned to each other, when we were kids, we were each others' confidantes-"

_"Can't abandon her? What about NCIS? What about Gibbs and Kate? What about me?"_

"I'm not turning my back on anyone! I have _always_ been loyal to NCIS, but that does not mean I am going to just abandon Ziva when she needs me _most_! I won't! I have always had Ziva's six, from the time we were kids! I never abandoned her then, and I won't abandon her now!"

Tony snorted, shaking his head. _"You have got to be kidding me! So you're going to do it- fall into bed with the woman who let her own brother put a bullet through my skull and nearly killed Gibbs-"_

"Tim?" He looked up; Tony had disappeared, and Ziva stood in his place, hair tousled from sleep. The shirt she wore had ridden up slightly, revealing the smooth skin of her thigh, and she yawned. "Are you okay? I woke up and you were talking to yourself." He shook his head, Tony's words vanishing in the darkness. A moment passed as he nodded, giving her a tense smile.

"Yeah, Ziva, I'm fine. Just... just tired." She nodded, holding out a hand.

"Come to bed." He glanced over his shoulder, and then headed into the living room, turning off his laptop and the light before going to her. Silent, he took her hand, letting her lead him to the bedroom, and the sweet blissfulness of sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

******Thanks to Sazzita, JonnyP86 and Reader for reviewing 9. **

He sighed, looking up as the elevator doors opened and Kate entered, pulling on the light jacket she wore over her simple black A-line dress. She gave Tim a small smile, going to him and wrapping him in a tight hug. "I don't want to go up to Baltimore, Tim." He squeezed her gently, taking a deep breath.

"Neither do I, Kate. But we don't have a choice." She pulled away, reaching up to brush the tears off her cheeks. She glanced around, before turning back to him.

"Where's Ziva?" Tim swallowed against the lump in his throat.

"What do you care, Kate?" She gave him a look, surprised by the bite in his tone.

"Tim, I'm trying to protect you-"

"I don't need to be protected, Kate! I can take care of myself!"

"I... I know. That... that's not what I meant..." She stammered for several minutes, following Tim to the elevator when they saw Director Shepard head that way with Abby and Ducky. Kate grabbed Tim's arm, stopping him from entering. "You're my partner, Tim, and I worry about you. You're the little brother I never had. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

A moment passed, before he took her hand, squeezing her fingers gently. "I won't get hurt. I promise."

"But-" She stopped when he glared at her. Taking a deep breath, she asked instead, "Where is Ziva, Tim?" He groaned softly, before leaning close. In a whisper, he replied,

"She had to return to Tel Aviv." Kate's brow furrowed, and she pulled away, looking up at him, confusion written clear on her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Tim shook his head, making it clear that she needed to drop any questions she had. He pulled away, entering the elevator. She watched him go, before following. They rode the elevator down in silence, before boarding SecNav's jet. Once everyone had settled in and the plane had taken off, Tim settled back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He hated funerals; the fact that this was Tony's, only made it worse.

"You okay?" His eyes snapped open, and he turned to find Kate taking a seat beside him. He nodded, swallowing.

"Yeah. I... I'm okay. I just... I hate funerals, in general. And the fact that it's Tony's..." She nodded, understanding.

"Yeah, me too." They sat in silence for several minutes before Kate leaned close. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, you know?" He turned to her. "If it had been me and not Tony. Or you, or Abby or Gibbs." Tim swallowed; it_ had_ almost been him. Ari had targeted him _first_, before moving to the roof and killing Tony. A moment passed, before Tim whispered,

"It was me." She turned to him.

"What?" He met her gaze.

"It was me, that Ari targeted first." Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth, but, unable to speak, shut it again. Minutes passed, before she finally stammered,

"It... you... you were... Ari..." Tim nodded, reaching over and gently snapping her mouth shut.

"Yeah. I was Ari's first target. At first I thought he was aiming for the console, but then I realized he was aiming at me."

"And, so after going after you, he turned to me, and finally-"

"Tony." Tim whispered. Kate sighed, going back over that moment in her head.

_"Protection detail's over, Kate." She groaned as she stood, feeling the sting from the bullet radiate through her back. _

_"You did good." A moment passed, before Tony moved her to his right, so he could turn her around and check the back of the vest, and make sure she hadn't hurt herself when she landed._

_"For once, DiNozzo's right." Gibbs said, as she leaned over, placing her hands on her knees and taking a deep breath. She laughed, eyes wide, turning back to face the two men. _

_"Wow. I thought I'd die before I ever heard a compli-" The sound of a bullet being fired pierced the air, and suddenly, something entered Tony's forehead, exploding out the back of his skull, splattering both her and Gibbs in brain matter and blood. In the next moment, Tony hit the ground, blood pooling beneath him, eyes lifeless as they stared at the sky. _

She looked up, finding Tim watching her. "I heard the shot, but-" She gave him a small smile, reaching over and taking his hand, squeezing gently.

"Tony had moved me to his other side, so that he could check that the vest hadn't done anything to hurt my back..." She took a deep breath. "If I'd been standing in the middle, it could easily have been me. It_ should_ have been me. But it wasn't. It was Tony instead."

They spent the rest of the flight in silence. By the time they arrived in Baltimore, the mood was somber and heartfelt. The funeral service was quiet, with DiNozzo, Sr., for once, quiet and calm, as his son was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Before the casket was buried, those in the NCIS team each laid a red rose atop the coffin, memories of Tony filling their heads.

They left the cemetery with Abby's Jazz music in their heads, and memories of Tony tucked back in their minds. When they finally returned to the office and sat down to work, Gibbs' voice stopped them both. "Go home, McGee, Kate. Get some rest. See you both on Monday." The two shared a confused glance. "You both deaf? I said get outta here!"

Neither one needed further prodding.


	11. Chapter 11

******Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

******Thanks to Sazzita and puppypants for reviewing 9; JonnyP86 for reviewing 10. **

"I was wondering when you would get back."

Tim looked up, surprised to see her sitting on his sofa, a cup of tea in her hands. A moment passed, before the shock of seeing her began to wear off, and he gave her a soft smile as he shut the door. He didn't want to know how she'd gotten into his apartment, or why she wasn't in Tel Aviv, why she wasn't at Ari's funeral, or why she hadn't started Shiva, the week-long period of mourning in Jewish culture. None of that mattered right now; all that mattered was that she was here.

He stripped off his jacket, tossing it on a nearby chair, toeing off his shoes as he made his way towards her. She sat on the sofa, legs tucked beneath her, wearing one of his shirts and a pair of black leggings, blue fluffy socks on her small feet. Her dark curls were down around her shoulders, and she looked as though she'd been crying. Her hands were wrapped around a mug of steaming tea, and there was a program about Ancient Egypt playing on the History Channel on the TV.

Tim could smell her peppermint tea, and he drank in the sight of her, curled up on his sofa. As he got closer, it was evident that she had been crying, for the tear tracks glistening on her cheeks and her red nose. She sniffled, taking a deep breath before she took a sip of the tea. Her curls were down around her shoulders, limp and scraggily, as though she hadn't thought of washing her hair in the last twenty-four hours. She reached out for him, and he took her hand when he got close enough, giving her a big smile and pressing a kiss to her lips as he joined her on the sofa.

"I thought you were in Israel." He whispered, as she shifted to face him and sipped her tea.

"I was. But... as soon as the funeral was over, I caught the first plane out and returned."

"How did you-" She gave him a soft smile. "Never mind. Knowing you, Zi, you probably picked the lock to get in here." She lifted her chin briefly, proud of herself, telling him in not so many words that she had indeed picked the lock on his apartment door. He chuckled softly as he realized what she'd done, shaking his head as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, breathing in her scent. When he pulled away, he got up, going into the kitchen and fixing himself a cup of tea.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her, noticing how she seemed to curl in on herself when she was alone and stare off into space, as though she were thinking back on how she'd killed Ari. How she'd stood with Tim in the doorway to Gibbs' basement and listened as her brother talked about their father, about how he had tried to protect them both from Eli David. How she'd raised her gun and fired one shot, sending the lone bullet through Ari's skull, killing him.

As he steeped his tea, he found himself reflecting on the day's events. While everyone thought the funeral had been in Baltimore, it was instead in Albany, where Tony had originally been born. Though the remaining team members hadn't been told that until they were in the air over the East Coast. It had been a quiet service, beautiful in its own way, and Tim had found that he'd clung tight to Kate's hand as the funeral went on.

Kate.

She still didn't trust Ziva, that much was visibly clear. But she wasn't Tim's older sister, and therefore, she didn't have a say in what he did or who he fell in love-

He stopped, turning back to Ziva. She hadn't noticed his sharp intake of breath; no, she was busy tracing circles on the rim of her mug as she stared into the tea, tears in her eyes. Letting his breath out slowly, he turned back to the counter, leaning on it, as he ran the words through his head again.

In love. With Ziva.

He was_ in love_ with Ziva.

His _best_ friend.

_You've been denying it for years, even when you weren't in the same country, let alone on the same continent. This is why it never worked with other women. Because it was never meant to work with others. It was only meant to work with her. You've been in love with her for years, you've just never realized it until now._

Grabbing his mug, he went into the living room, joining her on the sofa. They sat in silence for several minutes, before he set his mug down. She turned to him, worry in her eyes. "Tim? Are you okay?" The only reply she got, was him taking her face in his hands. And then, he lowered his mouth to hers, drinking her in deeply. "What was that for, Tim?" He caressed her face, searching her eyes when they pulled away.

"I just... I just realized how much I need you, and that I don't want to spend a day without you again. Ever." He took a deep breath. "I love you, Ziva."

Her dark eyes searched his; she saw what she'd been denying, reflected in his. Finally, their hearts were in time, together. What she'd been harboring, fearing he'd deny, was laid bare. Fresh tears in her eyes, happy tears, she wrapped her arms tight around his neck, whispering,

"I love you, Tim."


End file.
